San Francsico: District 3

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Although Ingleside Heights is primarily residential, neighborhood markets and small pizzerias add a touch of urban convenience to this diverse community. Most of the residences here were built in the 1940s and 1950s, with an array of architectural styles. Most homes here follow the formula of single story living quarters built over a garage. Having been developed according to an urban plan, most lots in Ingleside Heights are uniform in size and offer comfortably sized back yards by city standards.

Once a rural area of San Francisco, the Ingleside neighborhood is still a pretty quiet and primarily residential area. After the devastation of the 1906 earthquake, the area’s remote location became a positive feature for displaced San Franciscans, and within ten years more than 400 buildings were built. Architectural styles in this area range from small Victorian cottages, to Mediterranean Revival, to stucco-coated townhomes.

Ingleside Heights

Although Ingleside Heights is primarily residential, neighborhood markets and small pizzerias add a touch of urban convenience to this diverse community. Most of the residences here were built in the 1940s and 1950s, with an array of architectural styles. Most homes here follow the formula of single story living quarters built over a garage. Having been developed according to an urban plan, most lots in Ingleside Heights are uniform in size and offer comfortably sized back yards by city standards.

Lake Shore

Surrounding some of San Francisco's finest golf courses, including Harding Park, The Olympic Club and the San Francisco Golf Club, Lake Shore is a pleasant, well-kept neighborhood in a tranquil corner of San Francisco. One of the attractions of the Lake Shore neighborhood is the amount of land that is relatively undeveloped, a rare occurrence in San Francisco. Between Lake Merced, Fort Funston, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, there are miles of trails for joggers, bikers, and hikers to enjoy in peace and solitude. Lake Shore is not an isolated area, though, with accessible public transportation and Highway 280 only minutes away. Lake Shore is a mid-century neighborhood, built during the 1940s and 1950s. While there are a few condominium developments, most homes on the market in Lake Shore are single-family detached homes.

Merced Heights

Merced Heights is a small, 22-block neighborhood perched on the hillside between Ingleside Terrace and Ingleside Heights. Most homes in Merced Heights were built on uniformly sized lots and come in a variety of postwar architectural styles. There is no commercial district in Merced Heights, but with Stonestown Galleria only a mile away, dining, shopping, entertainment, and general conveniences are close by. The neighborhood boasts two public parks: Brooks Park, with its play equipment, barbecue pits, and a community garden; and Merced Heights Playground, which offers tennis and basketball courts, a grassy field, play structures, and a recreation center. Commuters will appreciate the quick and easy access to public transportation (BART, light rail, and bus lines), making the commute into downtown San Francisco or other Bay Area locations simple and straightforward.

Merced Manor

From fanciful storybook homes with turrets and archways, to streamlined modern homes, Merced Manor is a compact neighborhood filled with a variety of architectural gems. A residential neighborhood, Merced Manor is close to both the Stonestown Galleria Mall and the Lakeshore Plaza shopping center. For running, hiking, biking, golfing, and other recreational endeavors, Stern Grove, Lake Merced, Harding Park, the Olympic Club, and the San Francisco Golf Club are all close by. Highway 1 and Highway 280 are nearby for easy commuting to the North and South Bays, and local public transportation puts downtown San Francisco less than 30 minutes away. Merced Manor is a desirable, quiet, well-maintained neighborhood.

Oceanview

While Oceanview is landlocked with nary an ocean in sight, this neighborhood does boast city views and a rich cultural history. Oceanview has an interesting assortment of homes ranging from late-1800s Victorians and Edwardians, Sunset District style row houses, and a handful of surviving earthquake cottages that served as homes for refugees after the 1906 earthquake. Located just north of Highway 280, Oceanview is a primarily residential neighborhood with easy freeway access. With both the Daly City and Balboa Park BART stations only a few miles away, public transportation is also fairly convenient for area residents. While a few small neighborhood shops and businesses serve residents, the primary commercial district for Oceanview residents is nearby Stonestown Galleria Mall.

Pine Lake Park

With fewer than 270 homes, Pine Lake Park is a small, quiet neighborhood located near its namesake park and Stern Grove. Homes in this area are predominantly single-family dwellings from classically styled homes, to ranch-style, to Sunset District style rowhouses, which sit on moderately sized lots with manicured lawns. Many homes along Crestlake Drive in this neighborhood back to the park or Stern Grove. Residents enjoy free concerts throughout the summer in nearby Stern Grove, without the hassle of finding parking. Underground utilities eliminate wires, offering an uncluttered, clean-looking environment. Because it is a small neighborhood, homes for sale in Pine Lake Park may be a coveted few.

Stonestown & Park Merced

Home to the Stonestown Galleria Mall and San Francisco State University, Park Merced is a mid-century neighborhood with a college town vibe. Much of the residential portion of this neighborhood was a planned community designed to encourage San Franciscans to stay in the city by offering suburban amenities, while remaining convenient to city life. Adjacent to the University of San Francisco campus, the Stonestown Galleria serves as the commercial hub for many of the surrounding neighborhoods. With Nordstrom and Macy’s positioned as anchor tenants, Stonestown Galleria is also home to a number of banks, shops, cafes, a grocery store, and quality restaurants beyond the typical mall food court. Most of the homes found in Stonestown are apartment rentals. Park Merced is the second largest single-owner community of apartment buildings in California. Apartment buildings here range from garden apartment complexes to mid and high-rise apartment towers.